Chris Sale
A lanky left-handed pitcher whose whip-like arm and fierce competitiveness made him one of baseball's most dominant and intimidating starters for a decade.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 30·Millennials
Biography
Chris Sale throws a high-velocity fastball and a sharp slider from an unorthodox delivery, his 6-foot-6 frame uncoiling with violent grace. The Chicago White Sox drafted him in 2010 and he transitioned from reliever to ace within two seasons. His strikeout totals piled up quickly. The Boston Red Sox traded for him in 2016 and he became the fiery centerpiece of their pitching staff. Sale started Game 5 of the 2018 World Series and earned the win as Boston clinched the championship. He led the American League in strikeouts in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Subsequent years brought significant injuries including Tommy John surgery in 2020. He returned to pitch again at the major league level, driven by a relentless desire to compete.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a World Series championship as a key starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
- Led the American League in strikeouts in 2015 and 2017, showcasing his overpowering stuff.
- Pitched to a 17-8 record with a 2.90 ERA in his first season with Boston, finishing fourth in Cy Young voting.
- Recorded over 2,000 career strikeouts, a testament to his sustained excellence and dominance.
Did You Know?
He is known for his intense, focused demeanor on the mound, often staring down batters.
Sale famously cut up his team's throwback jerseys in 2016 because he found them uncomfortable to pitch in.
He was drafted in the first round of the 2010 MLB draft out of Florida Gulf Coast University.
Despite his slender build, he consistently threw his fastball in the high 90s (mph) at his peak.
“I don't care about velocity; I care about where the ball is going.”
